The present invention relates to industrial machines and, in particular, to a drive mechanism for an attachment of an earthmoving machine.
Conventional rope shovels include a boom and a handle coupled to the boom for rotational and translational movement. An attachment such as a dipper is coupled to the handle, and is supported by a cable or hoist rope that passes over an end of the boom. The rope is secured to a bail that is pivotably coupled to the dipper. During the hoist phase, the rope is reeled in by a hoist drum, lifting the dipper upwardly through a bank of material and liberating a portion of the material. The orientation of the dipper relative to the handle is generally fixed during a dig cycle and is not controlled independently of the handle and hoist rope.